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Castor Oil (Part 2 – beautiful skin and hair)

last updated on 15 March 2013
by Samantha

castoroil_glassCastor Oil has many medicinal and curative uses, and the same properties that make it so effective in healing the body also make it an excellent choice for maintaining beautiful and healthy skin and hair.

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1. Castor Oil cures acne

The ricinoleic acid in castor oil works to inhibit many viruses and bacteria, and as castor oil is able to penetrate skin tissue deeply, this makes it an effective treatment for acne.

To treat acne, dab a hot damp washcloth all over your face in the evening before you go to bed. The heat will gently open the pores on your face. After this, massage a little castor oil gently into the skin. Leave on overnight. Repeat this daily for 1 to 2 weeks to see results. You can also repeat this twice in the day, once at night and once in the morning.

2. Castor Oil keeps the skin looking smooth, youthful and unlined

Castor oil’s ability to penetrate more deeply than any other essential plant oil make it an excellent way to keep skin looking youthful and fresh. Castor oil works better than any store-bought anti-ageing creams.

One of the best and easiest ways to use castor oil is to rub in a small amount around your eyes before bed, washing it off the next morning.

You can also rub in castor oil all over your face, but as it’s extremely thick and sticky, use sparingly. A little goes a long way! You can rinse this off after 2-3 hours, but you can always keep it on for longer if you feel comfortable. This type of all-over application might feel more uncomfortable in hotter and more humid climates. Thus, cooler days/nights or fall/winter may be better for castor oil mask applications.

Done daily, this will keep wrinkles at bay and the skin looking fresh, youthful and supple. With consistent use over a few months, this can also help to fade old dark marks left over from pimples/spots.

Note: If you intend to use castor oil intensively (24 hours/day over many consecutive days without significant breaks), you may encounter some temporary “looseness” in the area of application. This looseness/wrinkling effect is temporary, and the skin will tighten back up again in 1-2 weeks if you take a break from castor oil. However, you can avoid this risk by taking regular breaks. Read this comment for more information. This “looseness” should not happen when castor oil is used normally. To clarify,  24 hours/day over many consecutive days = NOT normal use!

Be sure to use only cold-pressed (or cold-drawn) castor oil that is hexane-free. Any other kind could clog your pores.Another good reason to use cold-pressed castor oil instead of refined castor oil is that cold-pressed oils retain much more of their valuable nutrients.  A study by a Turkish university showed that more than 95% of the free fatty acids and carotenoids, and up to 61% of the tocopherols were removed when an edible oil goes through the conventional refining process. Read this comment for more information.

Castor oil is found in several anti-ageing creams, wrinkle creams and undereye creams.

Reviva Labs Eye Complex Firming Cream - castor oilReviva Labs Eye Complex Firming Cream burt's bees radiance day cream - castor oilBurt’s Bees Radiance Day Creme (UPDATE: they’ve since removed castor oil) Borba Advanced Aging Recovery Crème -castor oilBorba Advanced Aging Recovery Crème
Commercial anti-ageing creams that contain castor oil

Castor oil and facial hair growth – fact versus fiction

A few commenters (particularly this memorable one) have questioned me about the wisdom of using castor oil on the face given its ability to promote hair growth when used consistently over months. i.e. won’t this cause hair to sprout all over the face?

This is a fair question and deserves a straight answer.

ANSWER: No, castor oil will NOT turn you into a bearded lady or a wolfman!

Yes, it’s true that long-term and consistent castor oil applications will promote hair growth. However, it cannot make hair appear on areas where hair does not naturally occur for you. I have used castor oil around my eyes every day for years now and I assure you, gentle reader, that I have NOT turned into a bearded lady.

Castor oil use is ancient, and if it was able to create bearded ladies or wolfmen, the world would have heard about it by now through folk tales and old stories. Not to mention, the modern medical, pharmaceutical and scientific community would also have been all over this “miraculous” effect by now if it were true.

(But as it is in politics and in life, fear mongers will do what fear mongers do. As I always say — when in doubt, use your head!)

What hair growth REALLY means

  • For most people, when castor oil is used on the face, this means thicker and longer eyebrows/eyelashes and more rapid growth of them.
  • If you are a man with facial hair (a beard or a mustache), castor oil use over those areas will promote faster growth and thicker hair. This is also the same for some hirsute women.
  • However, castor oil use does not affect ‘vellus hair’. Vellus hair is the fine, downy and near-invisible hair that we all have on our faces (mostly over the cheeks).

What if you have had laser hair removal?

Applied consistently over months, castor oil can cause hair to regrow after temporary and “permanent” hair removal — including laser hair removal, waxing or tweezing.

For instance, after years of over-tweezing in my teen years, some parts of my naturally thick brows have become sparse. Regular castor oil use has filled in and thickened these sparse areas for me over time. However, if you were born with naturally sparse facial hair, castor oil use is unlikely to do much.

Similarly, if you have “permanently” lost hair from a wound or an injury (like I did from a deep burn on my leg), castor oil will also eventually return hair growth to normal.

If you do not want hair re-growth after laser hair removal, then avoid use over those areas.

3. Castor Oil breaks up external and internal scar tissue, and prevents new scars from forming

Castor oil’s unrivaled deep tissue penetration help to soften and remove both external and internal scars, like those that form following surgery. I have personally removed a deep burn scar using castor oil (I also shared my before-and-after photos in that article).

Castor oil will penetrate deep into the tissues to slowly break up scar tissue. Amazingly, castor oil is able to distinguish between healthy cells and abnormal ones. In healthy cells, castor oil will detoxify and stimulate them, while increasing circulation. In abnormal cells like scar tissue and growths, castor oil will instead work to aggressively dissolve cells thanks to its solvent property.

To break down internal scarring, soak a piece of clean cloth with castor oil and place it over the scar area for an hour or two each day. You can also simply rub castor oil over the scar each day. More serious internal scarring will take longer to break down.

On another note, castor oil can also prevent scars from forming in the first place. Applying castor oil over cuts or scrapes will promote excellent skin healing.

Remarkably, applying castor oil after surgery, cuts or wounds will also minimize scar formation. This could be because of castor oil’s ability to increase our body’s lymphocytes (because of this, castor oil packs are especially useful for people with HIV or AIDS). Lymphocytes, or white blood cells, appear to regulate wound healing. And studies have shown that T lymphocytes may play an important role in wound healing and scar formation. Babies and young children have naturally higher levels of lymphocytes than teenagers and adults, which could be one of the reasons why our skin healed with much less scarring when we were younger.

Several commercial scar reduction creams also contain castor oil (eg Scar Zone, Scar Repairex). However, they also contain more chemicals than they do castor oil!

scarzone-castoroil scar_repairex_castor oil
Both Scar Zone and Scar Repairex list castor oil as an ingredient

4. Castor Oil soothes shingles

One commenter, Denise, talked about how castor oil seem to be the only thing helping soothe the pain from her shingles.

She wrote, “I have been applying castor oil on my shingles. So far it has soothed them and softened the whole horrible thing. I am going to keep using it as Ive tried everything and its the only thing that seems to be working better than all.”

Shingles are a type of viral infection and as castor oil has been proven to boost the body’s lymphocytes, it could be why castor oil applications appear to be helpful for anyone with weakened immune systems. For more on this, read how topical castor oil applications boost the immune system.

5. Castor Oil thickens eyelashes and eyebrows

Rub a little castor oil over the base of your eyelashes before bed. This prevents thinning and promotes rapid growth, leading to thicker and fuller lashes. In fact, many commercial products for eyelashes contain castor oil.

To thicken sparse eyebrows, rub a little castor oil over the brow line before bed.

6. Castor Oil prevents hair loss and regenerates hair

The anti-bacterial and anti-fungicidal properties of ricinoleic acid in castor oil protects the scalp and hair from infections that can cause hair loss. The omega-9 fatty acids in castor oil also nourish the hair and prevent the scalp from drying.

Rubbing castor oil on your scalp and the roots of your hair will regenerate new hair growth within months. This will also thicken thinning hair.

To treat baldness, it is also a good idea to look at improving your overall diet and seek to maintain healthier mental/emotional states at the same time. Otherwise, baldness may simply recur after castor oil treatments. Many things can lead to baldness, but one of the most common causes is magnesium deficiency, which is rampant in modern society.

Even if we have a healthy diet, sustained fear/stress/anxiety will deplete our bodies’ magnesium stores. Drinking coffee, alcohol, smoking or excessive exercise will also do this. Thus, eating foods that are high in magnesium (such as dark green vegetables or certain nuts/seeds), supplementation with magnesium chloride/magnesium citrate, or transdermal magnesium therapy can help greatly. Magnesium also has a wonderful calming and relaxing effect, which will be especially useful if stress is your issue (read my original comment about this).

For a deep healing treatment, rub castor oil into your scalp and leave it on overnight. You can wrap your hair up in a towel or a shower cap to keep the oil on your scalp and away from your bed linen (castor oil stains are almost impossible to remove).

For a lighter treatment during the day, rub a very small amount of castor oil into your scalp or hair (whichever you feel needs help). Castor oil is very thick and viscous, so a little goes a long way. You can either wash this off at the end of every day, or leave it in if you feel comfortable (to maintain your regular schedule of hair washing, whatever that may be).

However, if you have fine or weak/brittle hair, it’s a good idea to mix castor oil with a lighter oil so that it’ll be easier to wash out later (baking soda will also help remove castor oil, but it can be temporarily drying).

Some have reported good results from mixing castor oil with coconut oil or olive oil. Coconut oil is especially good for restoring damaged and weak hair because of it’s high nutrient content.

nautress wrote, “I mix virgin coconut oil and castor oil together and they do wonders to my hair. I mix 1 ounce castor oil and 2 ounces of virgin coconut oil. I oil little all over my scalp and massage it in, which later comes down the shaft of the hair, and oh my goodness, softness.”

Anonymous wrote, “I find that castor works!!!! I am going through menopause and my hair was falling out something awful. I recall reading in a beauty book long time ago when i was a teenager about castor oil making your hair grow. Well it is true.i can’t stress enough how it rescued me, i once had a woman to ask me did i have on a lace wig and i received many compliments about my hair and lots of women ask me “if it is my hair”, even my own sister did a double take. My hair grew longer and thicker. Be careful not to apply too much, the oil is thick, but i swear by it. They also say olive oil does the same never used it but thinking about trying a lil mixture of both castor oil and olive oil. But i tell many of my african sisters about this especially when i see the damage extensive weaves have done,and around the edges where too-tight braids have thinned the hair. I swear by this product and will use nothing else.!!!!!!!!!”

bb wrote, “I can verify that castor oil works for lengthening and thickening hair… it does not need to be rinsed out. If you wash hair regularly (for me that is 3x/week) and apply small amounts of castor oil to the ends, leaving it in, it does wonders for keeping the hair protected and moist so that it can grow and not break… ”

Retta wrote, “…I have started using the castor oil in my hair, (via internet reviews :youtube etc.). I don’t use the Jamaican black castor oil. But I use a grocery store brand, I paid $3.00 for a relatively small bottle. Any way, it was very thick and seemed somewhat sticky; I mixed mine with some tea tree oil, rosemary oil. I have been using it now for two weeks, 3 times per week. Some complain of build up, I don’t have that problem at all, my problem is my hair soaks it up!!! I mean, it has helped my hair a great deal. In two weeks I have noticed a remarkable difference in my hair, and its texture, it is so soft, it also feels thicker. My only regret is I wish I would have known about castor oil when I was a teenager, I would have better hair this very day…”

rbooh wrote, “Thank goodness I found castor oil!

I moved to a new city and my hair was not adjusting so I tried a few different things ( I do NOT recommend the “no-poo” method if your hair is color treated BTW ) and wound up breaking TONS of my waist length hair off. I was desperate to find something and I stumbled onto castor oil. After researching it I tried it as an overnight leave in and my hair just LOVED it; my hair was 75% better after just one use. I mixed a generous dollop into my hair conditioner and use that as well as a light leave-in application of straight castor oil on my damp hair.

I also did my own experiment using castor oil on my face. I used castor oil on one half and my regular lotion ($50.00 for a few oz) on the other half and in just one week I noticed a visible difference. The castor oil side was plump, smooth and blemish free, not to mention my luscious lashes.

Most amazing of all!! Castor oil totally, as in completely!! removed a WART from my chest. I can’t believe its gone since I’ve had the darn thing for 6 months and even 1% Retin A didn’t do a thing for it. I rubbed pure castor oil into the wart for 2 nights before bed and voila, GONE.

Perhaps not everyone needs the heavy oil and I read quite a few negative opinions about using it straight in your hair, but if you have really dry hair and skin, it truly is amazing. The odor is kind of odd and can take some getting used to. But I love that I can touch my face after touching my hair and not worry that my hair products will make my face break out.

I highly recommend castor oil to anyone, I even use it on my 9 year old sons eczema!”

7. Castor Oil keeps hair looking soft and shiny

Castor oil is a humectant as it draws moisture into the hair and skin. Applying castor oil on hair will keep it looking soft, shiny and strong.

8. Castor Oil softens thick calluses and removes corns

Castor oil application will soften any rough or thickened skin, including calluses and corns. To treat corns, apply castor oil over your feet and put cotton socks on before going to bed. (Incidentally, sleeping with castor oil socks on will also soothe painful heels and foot pain.)

9. Castor Oil cures skin infections like athlete’s foot and ringworm

Apply a castor oil soaked cloth on the affected area. If it is small enough, a bandaid with a few drops of castor oil can be used instead.

10. Castor Oil prevents stretch marks

Rub a small amount of castor oil over your stomach and thighs daily to prevent stretchmarks during pregnancy or periods of weight gain.

11. Castor Oil will remove moles and warts (apply heat for faster results)

Rub castor oil into moles or warts every night. The moles (or warts) will start to shrink over a few weeks, and continued use will eventually remove the mole without any scarring. Complete removal may take 2-3 months, but this slow healing will also ensure there is no “hole” in your skin. (The surgical removal of moles will often leave a hole where the mole was. This indentation can often be permanent.)

Diana kindly shared a useful tip she discovered. She wrote, “I used castor oil on moles, but I think the secret is to use heat with it. For instance, keep a hot, wet towel on the mole for a minute, and then apply castor oil, and then reapply the hot towel, for another minute. Do that for about 10 minutes, 2 or 3 times every day. I did this and I started to see results in 4 days.”

12. Castor Oil will remove age spots (liver spots)

Rub castor oil into your age spots every night. The age spot will lighten over time, and continued use will eventually remove the age spot completely.

Tip: Remove castor oil residue with baking soda

Castor oil is thick and viscous, but it can be washed out with regular soap and a good lather. However, if you find it more difficult than usual to wash castor oil out of your hair or skin, try mixing in some baking soda and water. Baking soda can cause some temporary dryness, but is very effective in removing all traces of castor oil.

Where to buy castor oil

Castor oil can be found in most good health food stores. Check the label to make sure it’s cold-pressed (or cold-drawn) and hexane-free. This is especially important if you plan to put castor oil on your face, around or in your eyes, or if you plan to ingest it for internal cleansing.

Some supermarkets or pharmacies may also sell castor oil in small bottles in the laxatives section/shelf. Again, check the labels.

You can also find castor oil in shops that cater to Indian communities. If you have a ‘Little India’ in your town or city, you can probably find it there as castor oil is a popular hair tonic among Indians. However, the downside is that these mom-and-pop stores are unlikely to sell castor oil that’s labeled cold-pressed or hexane-free.

If you prefer to buy castor oil online, several websites sell bottles in a variety of sizes. I buy mine from iherb.com (I found the shipping to be reasonable even for the largest, heaviest bottles. There’s a discount code at the top-right of this page if you’re interested). Other websites that sell castor oil include Vitacost and Amazon.

  1. Sandra permalink
    May 29, 2012

    Kaniz, nobody can guarantee anything but like I said before, rubbing castor oil into your skin definitely isn’t going to harm you. So why not give it a try? So the dark areas on your hands are from sun damage then? I personally don’t have sun damage on my hands. But my facial skin was a lot more uneven in tone before I started using castor oil.

    As far as using it on very oily skin: I also have oily skin. All my life. I’m also very probe to breakouts. I’ve had no breakouts resulting from using castor oil on my face overnight. But I can’t guarantee that you won’t. All I can tell you is what I’ve experienced. My skin has become more balanced in regards to oil production, lines that were there before have pretty much plumped up & filled in. Scars from breakouts/ uneven skin tone as a result have both diminished, and my skin just looks better overall. Considering that I went through a very serious illness a couple of years back that caused me to drastically drop 50+ pounds and which ravaged my skin, my skin has bounced back amazingly from all that. I also watched my grandmother work in the gardens on her farm for many years, in blazing heat, back when sunblocks were not even thought about. She used castor oil for all the years I can remember, for everything, including injuries, illnesses, very bad sun burns, and even my grandfather’s radiation treatment burns (he didn’t believe on using natural remedies at all, and yes, he did develop cancer). She never developed skin cancer. She never had severe age spots on her skin as a result of all her years in the blazing sun without any sunblock. She lived into her 90s. I know from watching her & other family members who used it that castor oil does work. When I was younger, I ignored a lot of her advice but now know that she was absolutely right.

    All I can say is give it a try. Castor oil penetrates deeply & has many natural healing properties. It also won’t harm you. Nobody can guarantee anything as far as stellar results go, but it very well may work for you. What have you got to lose, really?

  2. kaniz permalink
    May 29, 2012

    oh Sandra you’re a sweetheart. thanks again for the reply. I’m gonna try this very soon. one last question. I’ve bought Home Health castor oil. Do you have any idea how is it?

  3. Sandra permalink
    May 29, 2012

    LOL not often I’m referred to as a ‘sweet heart’ haha :-) I really don’t mind answering people’s questions. Especially about natural remedies.

    I’ve honestly never used that brand before, so I don’t know anything about it. But other than regular ‘clear’ castor oil & the Jamaican black type, I haven’t noticed much difference between any of them. I’d just give it a try if I were you & see what happens. Keep at it on a regular basis. Massage castor oil into your hands every night, and anywhere else you want to try it. Even get yourself a little pair of those cotton gloves from the pharmacy & wear them on your hands at night so your skin stays warm, so it can penetrate as deeply as possible. Flannel is an excellent fabric to use with castor oil too. I find it works the best overnight, as do most things applied topically the skin. Keep at it for weeks. Take before and after pictures as you go along as well. We often don’t notice changes like that when they happen over an extended period of time, rather than over a short period. I hope it all works out well for you. I’d be interested in hearing what happens over the next couple of weeks. Good luck :-)

  4. Doris permalink
    May 31, 2012

    Hi Sandra, I cant wait to try castor oil, but how often should I use it to prevent looseness? I was thinking about using it 1/3 to 2/3 of another oil , only to clean my face at night, rinse it off and then apply some Jojoba oil as moisturizer and leave that on. If I do that every night will that loosen my skin? If I only use the castor oil mixture, say, every other night, what oil can I use to clean my face the rest of the nights? I have combination, acne skin. Thank you very much!

  5. superlonghair permalink
    June 1, 2012

    Samantha,

    I get emails when comments have been added to this thread and only recently have read them. (I first came across your site in January of this year — I think!)

    I must say, I am AMAZED by the number of questions about castor oil loosening one’s skin. From what I recall reading, this happened when you went to EXTREME lengths in treating the burn scar on your leg — and you described it all in such detail that the matter should be well understood and NOT a concern unless one goes to the same EXTREME measures. Even then it reversed when you stopped the intensive application process you were using.

    Of course, you can’t know what will happen for someone else even if they do exactly what you do. Everyone has to take responsibility for themselves and OBSERVE their unique reactions.

    I read something you wrote about enjoying sharing this information. That must be it. You love what you do, and would (and do!) do it with little regard for the reactions you may sometimes (often?) get thrown your way.

    Good for you (and us!) !

    I’m going to start using castor oil on my face. I haven’t acne, but could look better!

    • Samantha permalink*
      June 1, 2012

      Thanks for your comment, superlonghair :)

      I just got back from a very tiring holiday this week and I’ve been extremely lazy about replying to comments, but I just had to reply to yours!

      Yes, I’m also surprised by the same questions about the looseness. I thought what I’d written in the article would be enough to dispel anyone’s worries, but I think people just have a laser focus for words like “skin looseness”, which gets them frightened, and then they stop reading.

      I have wondered before if should just exclude that information altogether (since it would apply to only very rare cases), thus saving myself and others the unnecessary aggravation… but if it was me on the other end, I think I’d wanna know everything just to be safe.

      Best of luck with using castor oil on your face. I’m planning on doing several castor oil masks this weekend to help my skin recover from all that summer sun I got!

      • superlonghair permalink
        June 4, 2012

        Hey, Samantha,

        Super late, here, or super early, if you prefer!

        Nice about your replying! Feels nice! :)

        Something came up immediately when I read (from your reply),

        “I thought what I’d written in the article would be enough to dispel anyone’s worries, but I think people just have a laser focus for words like “skin looseness”, which gets them frightened, and then they stop reading.”

        First of all, I think you’re absolutely right about that.

        What “came” is that (general) fear is already there, and was just activated by the concept that was laser-focused upon, which could have been any concept at all — negative, unfamiliar, thrilling, etc. If (unattached) fear wasn’t already there, or wasn’t very strong, the emotions wouldn’t have been activated to require almost unending reassurance which then seem to feed into some kind of loop that affects thinking and remembering, believing and reasonableness, and being in the present and taking responsibility.

        Also, you know how sometimes something that really bothers you about someone else’s behaviour can have something to do with how you dislike or deny or disown the same or similar or somehow related behaviour in yourself? Or, if not precisely related, the other person’s behavoiur gets the attention of some part of your sub-, or un- or body conscience and you react with anger — or some other form of discomfort — which is often underlaid by fear…?

        Well, I have really disliked when someone turns off their mind and just won’t listen to reason and move on. When they (seemingly?) choose to remain in an emotional uproar. It would be better just to decide NOT to do the “new thing” than ingest that unresolved new conflict, to remain internal, grouped together with all the other unresolved matter stuck inside ones soul!

        Wow. Whew. For some reason it is easy to state things I think and observe and even feel here on your site and to you. I think because you are humble and I don’t feel rushed. You’re “open”.

        I also think I’m generally less fearful and more willing to speak my truth, which when stated with some degree of personal humility is now open to correction by greater truth.

        Haha!

        I think I just need to step out and do something, and be as truthfully kind — to myself as well as others — in whatever setting. That’s what lasts — probably forever — in a good way. It might not be that important what you do as long as you do it with love. And then it becomes important because it is a conduit of love. Maybe. Although, not worrying about the importance of what you do allows you to do what you enjoy and it probably ends up that is what you were supposed to be doing (or leads you to what) because everyone has different things that “light them up”. Maybe that’s how we all serve, and help to save, each other.

        Yeah, I like to “know everything” (known, anyway!), too, and try to do the same. Although I have felt like and been told I tend to “lecture” or sure must have thought a lot about the subject! Haha!

        Thanks for the encouragement!

        Cool how your ancestor used castor oil to heal/protect from heavy sun exposure and now so do you!

        • Samantha permalink*
          June 4, 2012

          Yes, I’ve also heard that about how you dislike things in others that you see in yourself. It’s an interesting concept, but sometimes… try as I might, I don’t see how it can apply (or maybe I just don’t want to see it?).

          For instance, once in a blue moon, I get quite frustrated by extreme disorganisation (internally and externally) in another person, although I’m very organised myself. Note the word extreme here, it’s important. Anything less than extreme doesn’t bother me at all (easy-going is my middle name ;) ).

          So I think maybe sometimes, it’s just a case of simple discernment. We like some things, we don’t like others. And that should be okay.

          Also, as much as I don’t like to say it, my stepmother is the most hateful person I know. We don’t get along. I used to be very afraid that I dislike her because I’m somehow like her deep inside. But thinking about it now, that’s just silly. I mean, how could anyone embrace spite, cruelty, or hatred? I think at our core, we’re all made of love, and these things—which like you mentioned are all fear-based—are the polar opposite of love. So it’s natural for us to reject them.

          Anyway, my point is I think you shouldn’t judge yourself too harshly for your dislike of the way some people can be… You’re definitely not alone in that and God knows, I still struggle with the same issue too! The best we can each hope for is awareness of ourselves and our reactions, and if we’re lucky, acceptance of that present moment (not condoning the behaviour, but just accepting it exists). In my rare moments of higher-mindedness, I’ve found that whenever I’m able to accept something that’s happening and just be with it completely for a few seconds, the discomfort would fall away very cleanly. Fighting the behavior mentally does the opposite, it makes me feel worse. Now if only I could just remember to do this most of the time…

          p.s: I like what you wrote about how we all serve and save one another :)

          p.p.s: Got your message and I’ve added your name now.

  6. Sandra permalink
    June 1, 2012

    Hi Doris :-) As I mentioned before, I’ve never experienced any loosening of my skin at all when using it. Somebody else had mentioned might have. Other people often just go by what they’ve heard. I can only tell you what I’ve experienced. No looseness, even when using it very generously every night. I don’t think you’ll get all the benefits of it if you’re using it only for cleansing & then rinsing it off, though. Not to mention that castor oil wouldn’t be my first choice for cleansing due to the texture/viscosity of it. I’d do the cleansing using the jojoba oil & then apply the castor oil afterwards & leave it on overnight. Jojoba oil is much more fluid, so you could really massage it into the pores to loosen & remove any makeup residue left in them.

    As far as cleansing, you could use jojoba oil, hazelnut oil, apricot seed oil, hemp oil, or a combination. Camelia seed oil is also quite nice, as is carrot tissue oil, but I’d save those for an overnight moisturizer. It would be a waste to just rinse it down the drain as it’s quite a bit more expensive than the other oils. If you’re worried about using nothing but castor oil at night, mix it with some of the other oils I mentioned. But always start off with one oil first. Test each separately for maybe 2 nights before mixing them all together. That way you will know for sure if any of the oils other than castor cause you to break out & can then eliminate that one from your facial oil mixture. I’d be far more worried about applying a cream from the store which has chemicals & preservatives in it on my face than I would be about applying a pure oil to my face. Strangely, people seem to be more concerned about using a pure oil. You’ve got far more chance of having a breakout or negative reaction from a mass manufactured skin cream with all kinds of unnecessary rubbish in it than you do from an oil. Just think of it that way. Oils actually nourish & heal the skin. Mass manufactured creams don’t. And most mass manufactured cleansing oils you see in the stores are full of garbage like petroleum by products/mineral oil/irritating fragrances/etc.

    I can’t guarantee you that any oil won’t cause you to break out. But I’ve had no new breakouts result from moisturizing overnight with castor oil. Another thing to keep in mind is that if you’re allergic to nuts, stay away from nut oils. Period. It’s definitely possible to have a reaction to a nut oil if you have that sensitivity, and nut allergies are very dangerous.

    Anyways, good luck & I hope that helped. Like I said, my skin isn’t sagging anywhere as a result of using castor oil over an extended period of time. That’s all I can really tell you. I’m off too bed now. Have a good day/night whichever side of the world you’re on :-)

  7. Arianne permalink
    June 2, 2012

    Hi all, hope you are doing well. I am so grateful for finding your website. I am pregnant and is thinking of applying cold pressed castor oil everynight everyday on my scalp, face and body until I read in one of the previous comments that it can induce labour. I have never used the oil and don’t intend to swallow the oil but I am worried that the strong smell and having it sit on my skin from head to toe for hours everyday will harm the baby. Do you know anyone who has used the oil throughout their pregnancy without causing them problems? Would you recommend for me to wait until the child is born? Also, I read that castor oil can lighten the skin? Would it be permanent even if I stop using it?

    Sorry for bombarding you with questions. Looking forward to hearing from you.

    • Peachy permalink
      June 5, 2012

      Castor oil will only induce labor when ingested as a laxative. The cramps that happen in your intestines sometimes trigger uterine cramps too. Applying castor oil to your hair or skin will not affect your pregnancy.

      • Arianne permalink
        June 15, 2012

        Thank you Peachy. I started using the oil last week. So far so good. :)

        • Cristen permalink
          July 15, 2012

          I already posted about my experience with this then i just read this post. I use castor oil on my skin for many things with no problems. I have never tried it internally but know that is is used to induce labor when ingested. I would use caution putting it on your stomach,though. I have used it with heat and it has caused contractions. It hasn’t sent me into labor (I’m seven months pregnant), but i have used it with a heat pad about 7 times throughout this pregnancy because of something I read in an Edgar Cayce book and wanted to give it a try, and each time it has caused noticeable and extended tightening of my uterus. I am guessing it is the combination of heat and castor oil, but if you are really paranoid about it affecting things, you might not want to do what i have done. At first it was just amusing and small contractions, but the last time it was more than i was comfortable having at this point! follow your instinct with these things, and listen to what your body is telling you.

  8. Sandra permalink
    June 6, 2012

    I can attest to that myself. Using it during my pregnancies to prevent stretch marks didn’t affect me in any way.

    As for skin lightening, I haven’t experienced this, but I’m already light to medium skin tone. Maybe for somebody with darker skin it would. Don’t know. It has, however, helped even out my skin tone.

  9. bert permalink
    June 9, 2012

    hi, i have been reading a lot of comments regarding castor oil, i have a balding head due to hair relax done a couple of years ago, and now im reaping the 1st degree burn it had caused, i just wanted to ask,

    1st. can the castor oil be used daily on the hair? if not how often in a week.

    2nd. ive been using it on my oily face every night, i have noticed that it had become oilier the next day? after washing it off? any recommendations? i just want my blemishes removed.

    3rd. i only using the castor oil bought over the counter? i dont know if that is cold pressed or whatever? is ther a differnce between the two?

    hope i can get a feedback from you guys. thanks and God bless!!

    • Arianne permalink
      June 15, 2012

      Based on the previous comments you can rub castor oil on your scalp for few hours or leave overnight 1 – 3 times per week. It can also be used daily. If you find it thick, you can mix it with virgin coconut oil (1 ounce of castor oil, 3 ounces of virgin coconut oil).

      • Anonymous permalink
        June 17, 2012

        thanks arianne, what about my other queries?

  10. Ivy permalink
    June 14, 2012

    I have some little facial hair, will castor oil affect it in any way?

  11. Ambre permalink
    June 15, 2012

    Hi everyboby ..
    6 months ago i have rebonded my hair and it is falling a lot and my hair vulnerable, it break.
    Can i use castor oil?
    Thks a lot ..


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